According to a report from Adam Schefter, the Detroit Lions have hired former NFL quarterback Bruce Gradkowski as an offensive coaching assistant.

Gradkowski enjoyed 11 years in the NFL, bouncing around several franchises since entering the league as a sixth-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2006. Over his career, he started 20 games, while completing 375-of-709 passes for 4,057 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 24 interceptions.

For the past two seasons, Gradkowski has served as the offensive coordinator for the XFL’s/UFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks. In 2023, the Battlehawks finished second in the XFL in scoring, averaging 24.9 points per game. After moving to the UFL in 2024, the Battleahawks remained second-best in offensive scoring, averaging 26.0 points per game, just behind the eventual champion Birmingham Stallions (26.5 PPG).

It’s unclear the exact role that Gradkowski will serve on the Lions staff, whether it be a general offensive assistant role or a positional role. It’s worth pointing out that the Lions’ assistant quarterbacks coach role is currently vacant after J.T Barrett took the Chicago Bears’ quarterbacks coach job, following former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.

There doesn’t appear to be any direct connection between Gradkowski and the Lions’ current coaching staff, although the former NFL quarterback was with the St. Louis Rams during 2008 training camp when Lions general manager Brad Holmes was still just a scout for the Rams.

Catch up on all of the Lions’ latest coaching news with our 2025 Detroit Lions coaching staff tracker.